Blogs

Our blogs provide fresh, impassioned and authoritative commentary and insight about the variety of civil-liberties issues that the ACLU of Michigan takes up each day in our courts, governments and communities.

Get Involved

With the help of dedicated volunteers and community activists, the ACLU of Michigan works to raise awareness about the importance of preserving the individual rights and liberties that are guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.

Get Help

The ACLU of Michigan is one of more than 50 affiliates in the United States. As such, we encourage you to know as much as possible about your civil liberties. Further, if you feel those liberties have been violated, we suggest you submit a complaint. We only accept complaints that occur within the State of Michigan. If your complaint arose in a state other than Michigan, you must contact the ACLU office in that state.

About Us

Since our founding in 1920, the American Civil Liberties Union has led the fight to conserve our most precious liberties. Through the passion of our supporters, we have grown from a roomful of civil liberties activists to an organization of more than 500,000 active members and supporters with 54 state affiliate offices as well as a legislative office in Washington, DC.

Workplace Rights

The workplace can be intimidating, and it may seem as if the boss holds all the cards. In fact, Michigan and U.S. law guarantee certain rights for all workers, including the right to a minimum wage, limits on working hours, the right to a safe workplace, and the right to join or form a union. The ACLU is committed to worker rights and has a long history of defending and preserving the rights of workers.

For decades transgender people have been fired or turned away from jobs just because of who they are. Courts and federal agencies are finally starting to recognize this for what it is — illegal sex discrimination — and they’re holding employers accountable.

The following is an excerpt from the "Great, Not Big" blog, which is authored by Carl Erickson, CEO and cofounder of Atomic Object, a software product development company with offices in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. Atomic Object is a member of the Michigan Competitive Workforce Coalition, co-founded by the ACLU of Michigan with the goal of updating Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

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This comprehensive 44-page publication is designed to answer questions about workplace issues. Though especially designed for young people entering the workforce, much of the information applies to anybody who works, regardless of age.

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LGBT individuals have the right to feel safe and secure on the job work. And as many Michigan discrimination laws do not include LGBT individuals, it is important to know your rights. This card tries to answer the LGBT community’s most common questions about their rights at work.

File Download:

LGBT individuals have the right to feel safe and secure on the job work. And as many Michigan discrimination laws do not include LGBT individuals, it is important to know your rights. This card tries to answer the LGBT community’s most common questions about their rights at work.

File Download:

Pregnancy Discrimination at Work

2015-08-31 00:00:00

In 2009 the ACLU of Michigan successfully lobbied for an amendment to Michigan’s Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act that prevents employers from treating pregnant employees differently from other employees who are similarly situated in their ability or inability to work.

Despite this provision, Hope Healthcare Center refused to accommodate Asia Myers, a pregnant employee with physician-imposed temporary restrictions due to pregnancy complications, even thought it routinely provides accommodations to non-pregnant employees with similar restrictions.

ACLU of Michigan Legislative Docket: Reproductive Rights

2014-04-10 00:00:00

The ACLU maintains a presence in Lansing that enables us to pass policies that expand civil liberties or prevent the passage of policies that are hostile to civil liberties. Through traditional lobbying techniques lobbying, advocacy, and advocacy the legislative program seeks to advance and protect our civil liberties.

The ACLU of Michigan’s legislative program works on a breadth of issues. To give you an idea of what we’ve been up to, we have provided a brief summary, our position on the issue and where the bill is currently situation in the legislative process.

ACLU of Michigan Legislative Docket: Poverty

2014-04-10 00:00:00

The ACLU maintains a presence in Lansing that enables us to pass policies that expand civil liberties or prevent the passage of policies that are hostile to civil liberties. Through traditional lobbying techniques lobbying, advocacy, and advocacy the legislative program seeks to advance and protect our civil liberties.

The ACLU of Michigan’s legislative program works on a breadth of issues. To give you an idea of what we’ve been up to, we have provided a brief summary, our position on the issue and where the bill is currently situation in the legislative process.

ACLU of Michigan Legislative Docket: LGBT Rights

2014-04-10 00:00:00

The ACLU maintains a presence in Lansing that enables us to pass policies that expand civil liberties or prevent the passage of policies that are hostile to civil liberties. Through traditional lobbying techniques lobbying, advocacy, and advocacy the legislative program seeks to advance and protect our civil liberties.

The ACLU of Michigan’s legislative program works on a breadth of issues. To give you an idea of what we’ve been up to, we have provided a brief summary, our position on the issue and where the bill is currently situation in the legislative process.